I've started to notice something peculiar. Sometimes, when a new wrestler is coming to the WWE, they're given a "coming soon" video package to hype their arrival. After weeks of video packages, when that wrestler finally arrives, he/she turns out to be ridiculously shitty and winds up getting booed out of every arena they wrestle at.Here's the evidence:

Nathan Jones: Video shows him lounging in Boggo Road Prison. Turns out to be an awful spot-blower. Later flees back to Australia and stars in "Troy".

Gail Kim: Given a "Matrix" style video. Starts out as a luchadoress and given the Women's Title on her first night. Blows a horrible spot, loses her title, and disappears from TV for a while. Fortunately, she came back with a new submission-based offense, and is showing signs of improvement, so there may be hope for her yet.

Kenzo Suzuki (formerly Hirohito): A bronze warrior, out for revenge. Revenge against what? I've heard from countless purosmarks about what an awful worker he is, and even that match with Scotty seemed a bit slow and akward. Time will tell whether he can/will improve.

Mordecai: Video tells us he sits at the right hand of the Father, and he will purge the land of sinners. He ends up being Undertaker with white clothing. It is yet to be seen whether he can wrestle well with someone other than a jobber, but I'm still skeptical at this point.

So far, Rey Mysterio and La Resistance are the only ones who seem to have escaped the video curse. But we had better be wary the next time a video package tells us that a new wrestler is "coming soon".

If you have any objections, or any further evidence, feel free to respond!

Edge's debut in 1998 was admidst a ton of said packages, and he did OK in spite of that. They even did it AGAIN at Mania and he still isn't part of any hex right now. Well, except for the two injuries and he fought through that.

There was Mankind's boiler room viginettes in early 1996 which granted are different than anything we'd see now out of Mick Foley, but I wouldn't say he was jinxed by it.

Also, anyone remember Hunter Hearst Helmsley's fireside chats before he started ever wrestling? Often I watch RAW wondering if they'll give him any face time.

To go even FURTHER back, you can count Ted Dibiase's viginettes, which may stand as the greatest ones they ever did. The one that sticks out more than any was the one where he buys out the time for the public pool. That was right up there with kicking the basketball in terms of having him come off as a rich prick.

It's always hit or miss. You also forgot to mention Sean O'Haire's. GREAT promos, but they got him nowhere in the end. But I'm not telling you anything that you don't already know.

So far Rey Rey is probably the only one featuring talent who had never really been seen in the WWE (Sylvan Grenier was the evil ref during Rock/Hogan II) to come in and make a sustained run. But that was also because of the way they built him up and the opponents they had him run with when he debuted. Remember when he was a main-eventer who could hang tough alongside the likes of Angle, Benoit, and Guerrero? Then he got squashed and Pillmanized by A-Train, which cooled his heat off a bit, and squashed again by the Big Show. Now heís kinda floundering because he hasnít done anything meaningful since his feud with Chavo prior to Wrestlemania and gets booked like any other cruiserweight.

If you have any objections, or any further evidence, feel free to respond!

I'm pretty sure this doesn't mean "List every guy you can think of who had a video package coming in." Being able to remember, say, Outback Jack got vignettes, is nice if we're playing WWE/F trivia but not exactly something that's adding to the discussion.

Try debating if you agree or not with

. After weeks of video packages, when that wrestler finally arrives, he/she turns out to be ridiculously shitty and winds up getting booed out of every arena they wrestle at.

IMO: Most of the people who get vignettes are new wrestlers and new characters who are going straight into high profile roles because of those vignettes. Not all - maybe most - new wrestlers aren't ready for that spotlight when they come in, but the point of the hype is to get us to overlook that.

. After weeks of video packages, when that wrestler finally arrives, he/she turns out to be ridiculously shitty and winds up getting booed out of every arena they wrestle at.

IMO: Most of the people who get vignettes are new wrestlers and new characters who are going straight into high profile roles because of those vignettes. Not all - maybe most - new wrestlers aren't ready for that spotlight when they come in, but the point of the hype is to get us to overlook that.

You mean like Glacier: Blood Runs Cold?

(Not Bob Kohm)

In the context of baseball, the use of drugs hurts only the player. In the context of baseball, the use of alcohol hurts only the player. In the context of baseball, womanizing hurts whom? Maybe the wife of the player? In the context of baseball, felonies are crimes against society, not against baseball. In the context of baseball, gambling is the only crime against baseball.

Gambling, in the context of baseball, is a capital offense and Rose has richly earned-- hell, he agreed to-- his death sentence. Let him hang.

Bob Kohm, co-owner of Rotojunkies.com (rotojunkies.com) , and a large market kind of guy.

I don't remember if they were before his debut or were airing right at the beginning of his character, but the Razor Ramon vigniettes were all pretty cool. They were cheesy (stealing produce!) but Hall was so into the character that he made it fun. Plus, he could still work like crazy back then.

I think in order to argue that there is a jinx you need there to be a very visible lack of guys who have been heavily hyped and succeeded. For every Ultimo Dragon there's a Rey Mysterio, Jr.; for every Outback Jack there's a Ted DiBiase. Some guys make it and some don't. The same could be said for guys who just get thrown in front of the camera with no hype.

I think it's fair to say, though, that by using vignettes you give guys their best chance to succeed. Would Beaver Cleavage or Glacier have been more successful had they not had weeks (or even months) of promotion for their arrival? Doubtful. These characters were dead in the water regardless. At least if people are alerted to the debut of a new character there's an interest to see that person, and more likelihood people will give the guy a chance. Just throw a guy out there for no reason and with no backstory and you get Orlando Jordan.

And let's never speak ill of The Real Man's Man again...I don't see you, Packman V2, squeezing your own orange juice or hauling sacks of concrete now do I?

Originally posted by BigVitoMarkI think it's fair to say, though, that by using vignettes you give guys their best chance to succeed. Would Beaver Cleavage or Glacier have been more successful had they not had weeks (or even months) of promotion for their arrival? Doubtful. These characters were dead in the water regardless. At least if people are alerted to the debut of a new character there's an interest to see that person, and more likelihood people will give the guy a chance.

That's the point that I disagree with. If they do a big promotion for a new guy, the viewers' expectations are raised. If the guy debuts & isn't really all that great, I think that disappoints viewers & turns them off to the character. Once labelled as "he sucks", it takes a *lot* to overcome that, even after the guy improves his skills. Absolutely, giving a new character something useful to *do* is the important part. But advance over-hype is a dangerous thing, particularly if you have an unknown or unproven worker. If you have a Rey Mysterio, definitely, hype him to the moon -- he's a proven commodity that you can be confident will really live up to the hype immediately and be a long-term player. When we're talking about a Mordecai or Suzuki, I think the big hype just sets him up for failure. Yeah, there's a novelty factor for a week or two, but thereafter, I think they lose significant credibility, which hurts them long-term.

Somebody please remind me how they handled the initial introduction of Batista. I'm thinking they mostly did it really low-key, but put him into a useful spot, sort of the way they're handling Tomko? Anybody?

They should bring "Hacksaw" Jim Duggan back to take turns with Hogan wearing the Mr. America mask, and chase away the French tag-team whenever they talk, because "this is the land of the free and the home of the brave."